A total of 19,673 vehicles were seized by gardaí last year for being driven without insurance, according to a report from the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland.

There have been calls for clarity after a number of schools around the country were told they may have their Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocation cut from next September.

A first meeting of a taskforce set up as a result of the loss of one third of Ireland's fishing quota this year, estimated to cost the fishing industry €105 million, will take place at Howth Harbour this morning.

Ireland has joined several other nations, including the UK and Canada, in advising its citizens to avoid travelling to the Caribbean island of Cuba unless absolutely necessary.

For every road death in Ireland last year, there were almost eight serious injuries, and those injured often face complex recoveries and disabilities that could last a lifetime.